Is Modafinil a “Smart” Choice for Bipolar Depression?

Modafinil, when first distributed throughout the pharmaceutical industry, got promoted as a way to treat people with sleep disorders, like narcolepsy. There have been reports that the drug can enhance memory and thinking. So, individuals without sleep issues would buy Modafinil to use as a “smart drug.” This unintended use of Modafinil has led researchers to find out more about the cognitive benefits of the medication. Upon further investigation and testing, the data shows the drug has promise as being a logical choice to treat bipolar depression.

Modafinil Is a Logical
Adjunct for Depressive Symptoms

A few
clinical studies performed over the last several years show there is a
substantial promise for Modafinil to work well with the depressive symptoms
people experience with bipolar. The reason researchers say it is a logical and
useful adjunct for those symptoms is that depression typically comes with
lethargy and fatigue. Since Modafinil is a stimulant, more and more studies
reveal that experts should consider the cognitive effects of the medication in
patients who have been unresponsive to known treatments for their depressive
symptoms.

The purpose for many of the recent clinical
studies has been to rebuttal the arguments that people with bipolar disorder do
not have cognitive defects to the magnitude of being problematic. An associate
professor at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine believes part of the reason the
deficiencies in mental function goes unrecognized is due to heterogeneity
within the patients of the disorder. Some individuals can function at
significantly high levels whereas others have difficulty with simple cognitive
tasks.

Biological Soundness of
Modafinil’s Efficacy

There was a
study conducted in which 58 participants took either a placebo or a dose of
Modafinil every day for six weeks. The results showed that the patients taking
Modafinil had a 50 percent improvement in depressive symptoms. Although the
data shows a few patients went to mania or hypomania while taking Modafinil,
some doctors believe there is biological plausibility that the drug has
considerable efficacy in treating cases of bipolar depression.

When people
buy Modafinil, whether they do for sleep disturbances or cognitive deficits,
the evidence increasingly continues to reveal case by case how the medication
is a prime stimulant capable of treating multiple conditions. There is also
talk of Modafinil being helpful with geriatric patients who have dementia or
Alzheimer’s disease. The scientific community isn’t ready to make it conclusive
Modafinil is a bonafide brain performance enhancer. They are also not quick to
promote the stimulant as a solution for patients who struggle with depression
from bipolar disorder. There are still more tests and trials needed before the
public will have endorsements for Modafinil in mental health by researchers.
Nevertheless, people will continue to conduct their own informal, personal
studies and buy Modafinil for the purposes they need.